UK Employment Rights Act 2025 – A New Era for UK Trade Unions: Are Employers Ready?

Under the Employment Rights Act 2025 (the “Act”), trade unions will gain enhanced rights, even in workplaces that do not currently recognise a trade union. This means that nearly every UK employer will need to develop a clear strategy for engaging constructively with trade unions and their workforce. The changes represent a seismic shift in UK employment law.

In this client alert, we focus on the main rights that employers will need to grapple with, including: (1) the right for workers to be given a written statement of their ability to join a trade union; (2) the right of trade unions to access workplaces; and (3) a simplification of the trade union recognition and industrial action balloting processes.